How to Make a Piston in Minecraft

Pistons are one of the most versatile items in Minecraft. 

Not only can they push other blocks around, but with them, you'll be able to create moving platforms, doors, complex structures, and power contraptions.

We'll go over everything you need to know to make your own pistons and use them effectively in your next project.

What Is a Piston in Minecraft?

A piston is a block that has a moving head. When activated, it extends or retracts, pushing the blocks next to it horizontally or vertically in the process. It can be used as a part of all sorts of simple and complex mechanisms.

For example, you can create moving walls or doors, activate pressure plates, or launch yourself, mobs, or other players into the air.

However, pistons can also be tricky to use, and it's often easy to break blocks accidentally or create unwanted explosions.

How to Make a Piston in Minecraft?

Here's what you'll need for piston crafting:

1. Collect Wood, Cobblestone, Redstone, and Iron

Wood and cobble are quite easy to come by.

For iron and Redstone, however, you'll need to mine underground. Four to five Redstone dust will drop when breaking a Redstone ore with an iron pickaxe.

Alternatively, there's a chance to get Redstone dust by killing a witch.

2. Make Planks and Iron Ingots

To get planks, put the wood you gathered in your crafting grid.

You'll also have to place the iron blocks in a furnace to smelt them into ingots.

3. Follow the Piston Recipe

Now that you have the necessary materials, it's time to make the piston.

1. Open your crafting table and put three wood planks on the first row.
2. Add four cobblestones in the slots remaining in the first and third columns.
3. Place the iron ingot in the very center of the grid and the Redstone dust below it.

How to Make a Sticky Piston in Minecraft?

Sticky pistons are like the regular ones, but with one key difference — they can pull blocks as well as push them.

However, while this piston can push up to 12 blocks, it'll pull back only the one closest to it.

To make a sticky piston, put a regular one and a slime ball above it on the crafting table.

How to Power Pistons?

You can make pistons go back and forth in a few simple ways:

• Use a Redstone wire. When activated, the current will flow through it and power the piston.

• Place a Powered block or Redstone torch directly next to the piston.

• Put an observer pointing at the piston and a Redstone circuit for activation. When the observer detects a block update, it'll emit a Redstone pulse to power the piston.

Use Redstone repeaters to ensure the piston will only activate when there’s a block in front of it.

How to Use Pistons in Minecraft?

Although pistons are relatively simple blocks, they can push up to 12 blocks away when activated. Consider when placing them that the head will always face you.

They're used in various ways to make the game more exciting:

• Flush doors — With a row of pistons, you can build a secret door that opens when a source of Redstone power is activated.
• Piston bridges — Players often utilize pistons to build bridges that can retract when no longer needed.
• Traps — A piston in Minecraft may come in handy to make traps, such as collapsing floors or walls that close in.
• Elevators — These blocks can be used to build elevators that move players and mobs up and down.
• Self-repairing structures — With the help of pistons, you can craft systems that automatically repair themselves when damaged.
• Obtain a dragon egg — The only way to obtain a dragon's egg in Survival mode is to find an Ender dragon, kill it, and break the egg that drops with a piston.

These are just a few ideas, and you're likely to come up with many more ways to use pistons in your game. So get creative and have fun!

Immovable Blocks in Minecraft

Some blocks can't be moved at all by a piston, and others will break if you try to. While there are differences in the Java and Bedrock editions, you'll find a few of the items below. Keep in mind the full list is much longer:

• Bedrock
• Obsidian, Ender chest, and Enchanting table
• Bed, Door, and Carpet
• Furnace, Blast furnace, and Chest in Java
• Campfire and Torch
• Pumpkin, Bamboo, and Cactus
• Redstone comparator, dust, repeater, and torch
• Candle, Lantern, and Soul lantern in Java
• Concrete powder, Gravel, Red sand, and Sand fall if unsupported

To Wrap Up

Knowing how to make a piston in Minecraft allows for infinite creativity and possibilities.

With its ability to move blocks, it has many applications. The piston will come in handy whether you're making a secret passage, an automated farm, or anything else of your design.

So, don't hesitate to experiment with this valuable block.